This Thursday marks the opening night of the National Film Festival for Talented Youth – the world’s largest film festival for emerging directors, showcasing work by filmmakers 24 and younger from around the globe.

Running April 23-26 in Seattle, the 9th edition of the festival has a notable LGBT program with “Come As You Are,” a shorts series featuring six films exploring LGBT themes — all made by teenagers.

“With a camera in hand and a message in mind, these brave filmmakers have approached issues of individuality, self-expression, and acceptance with the full power of cinema behind them,” the festival said. “The inspiring Come As You Are program explores the struggles and triumphs that we all encounter when establishing our own identities in today’s world.”

OUT AGAINGreg Chu – 16, Tai Payne – 16, Emma McKittrick – 15Washington, USAA 16-year-old boy named Sam attempts to come out to his crush Jordan. After his failure, he discovers an ability to travel through time and fix his mistakes until he can get the “perfect” coming out.

BOYDILucas Helth Postma – 15, Mikkel Nordfang Philipsen – 16, Freja Maegaard – 18, Olivia Karoline Fløe Lyng – 16DenmarkEmilie, born a female, wishes to be a boy. Sadly, her mother doesn’t wish for the same thing. Emilie attempts to convince the world that she’s trapped in the wrong body.

BORDER WOODSMiles Dupuis Carey – 18, Mida Chu – 18, Kathryn McCarthy – 17, Leah Yrastorza-Daghman – 17Michigan, USAWhen Rowan loses his friends in the woods the night of their last camping trip before college, he is plunged into a fantastical world where he must face his hopes, fears, and sexuality, as he is pushed ever closer to the border of the unknown.

A KISS FROM YOUR LIPSAllison Tate – 22California, USAA one-take swing dance film with a twist.

WE’RE OKAYKira Bursky – 18, Miles Carey – 18, Elena Jacob – 18, Gintare Zukauskaite – 17North Carolina, USADelilah has decided to kill herself on her 18th birthday, but her friend Lena surprises her with a birthday party. We see how Delilah is truly feeling in her stop-motion animated, circus-world mind.

CLIPPED WINGSColeman Andersen – 16, Duncan Gowdy – 16, Leo Pfeifer – 16Washington, USAOn the journey to Eagle Scout, discrimination gets in the way. These are the stories of those most affected by the Boy Scout’s ban on gay members.

“Shades of Blue” is over, but Lopez’s “World of Dance” continues as a big hit for NBC. As she winds down three years of both her drama series and her Vegas residency, here’s what’s next for the superstar.